The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been hit with a fresh crisis, following the controversial conduct of the recent governorship primaries in Anambra state and the adoption of the Ekiti state Deputy Governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola as the successor of Governor Ayodele Fayose.
Governor Dave Umahi, the Chairman of the Anambra Governorship Primary election Committee announced Dr Oseloka Obaze as the winner of the primaries after he polled 672 votes to defeat Alex Obi-Ogbuklu who scored 190 votes and the Chief Executive Officer of Capital Oil and Gas, Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah who polled just 94 votes to come third.
Senator Stella Odua and two others boycotted the exercise citing irregularities. Although the exercise was expected to be a family affair, after the Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee sustained the preachment that it had learnt from its mistake and would now observe internal democracy by returning the party to the people, the PDP is yet in the eye of the storm as some aggrieved persons who indicated interest in the primary election are threatening to bring down the party.
Moments after Obaze was declared winner, Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah accused Umahi’s Committee of bias and violation of the party's constitution in a bid to favour a particular candidate.
He hinted that already his lawyer had filed a suit against the PDP. He alleged that adequate time was not given to the aspirants to campaign to the delegates as the delegate list was given to them two days to the election. He also alleged that the delegate list used for the election was different from the one produced at the delegate election monitored by INEC.
Similarly, Sen. Odua has accused the party of repeating the same mistake that led to its defeat in the 2015 general elections. She maintained that due process was not followed in the conduct of the primaries hence her decision to withdraw from the race. She hinted that she had since petitioned the party leadership and was awaiting response. "Mine was very clear. I raised the alert when defects were noted.
It will be illegal and unjust to follow it to the end...If the party fails to address these concerns it means the party has not learnt its lessons. I wish the party will revisit and address all concerns because when people are aggrieved and you are not concerned about those grievances, you are saying two things: “go to hell” and “there is nothing you can do about it," she added.
Although the party is yet to react officially to the complaints raised by the aggrieved parties, indications have emerged that the Party’s National Caretaker Committee may not do anything. Already, the Ubah and Oduah, have vowed not to support Obaze, indicating that the duo might engage in anti-party activities to frustrate the party's chance of winning the state.
Yesterday, over 350 members of the PDP from Ifite Awka defected to the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA). Vigil360 gathered that the decampees were supporters of one of the aspirants who lost the primaries to Obaze. They have vowed to work assiduously to facilitate the reelection of Governor Obiano. Meanwhile, other supporters in other Local Governments of the State are reportedly planning to shun the party by moving to the opposition.
Apart from Anambra, they are indications that the recent adoption of the Deputy Governor of Ekiti state as the anointed successor of Governor Ayodele Fayose is generating cold war among party faithful in Ekiti state.
It has emerged that some of the persons who had expected a level playing ground for them to test their popularity were surprised when the Governor gathered his appointees and anointed his deputy as his successor, claiming that he is the one God has chosen.
One of the intending aspirants who craved anonymity said they are waiting for time to draw closer before taking action that would destabilize the system since the Governor thinks he can sideline them.
How the party addresses these emerging issues would determine how far it would go in posing real threat to wrest power from the APC.
